Local developers should be asked to donate land for new housing and support services to be provided to those on the “left side” of the housing continuum.
That’s among the key consultant recommendations aimed at addressing the housing crisis in Guelph. A report containing that advice, as well as numerous other urged actions, was publicly released on Thursday and will be the subject of a special city council meeting on Sept. 12.
“Urgent issues related to homelessness, mental health and substance use are increasingly being brought to the attention of the City of Guelph,” the report states. “The city has received and anticipates that it will continue to receive requests to fund housing services, mental health services and substance use services for people experiencing homelessness.”
The report, titled A Review and Gap Analysis of Housing, Mental Health & Substance Use Services for People Experiencing Homelessness in Guelph, comes as a result of council’s direction to staff in January that a consultant be hired to “assess identified gaps” in the multi-agency and multi-government housing system.
“The city is seeking a framework that will provide clarity on system roles and responsibilities to support an intentional and coordinated approach to planning, as opposed to a fragmented and reactionary approach to these complex issues,” states the report, which largely calls for the city to undertake advocacy work at the provincial level.
That goes for housing as well as mental health services.
Other recommendations include:
- The city adopt a “human rights-based approach” to housing and hire a new staff member to implement it
- Council request the provincial government develop and adopt an Ontario housing strategy with measurable targets and sufficient funds for ending homelessness
- Council request Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team work with Guelph and Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination to plan for the integration of wraparound support services and “address the community need for permanent supporting housing”
- Council asks the County of Wellington and local health organizations to advocate to the Ministry of Health for funding to support wraparound services
- Council request Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health to lead an “ongoing, comprehensive” outcome evaluation of housing systems in addressing homelessness, with a focus on mental health and substance use
- Clarity be brought to the roles of various governments regarding housing matters
- Council approve a review of the city’s processing role in funding decisions for housing services for things such as daytime shelter space
- That the city and Canadian Association of Mental Health Waterloo Wellington write letters to the Ministry of Health in support of a funding application for a regional alternate care distribution clinic
- The Ministry of Health be asked to “provide clarity” of how all mental health services in Guelph are funded
- That council supports increased funding requests made to the Solicitor General for the Here 24/7 crisis line and the Integrated Mobile Police And Crisis Team (IMPACT) team which sees mental health professionals accompany police to some calls for service.
